The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cautioned parents and guardians against making baseless allegations regarding university admissions, emphasizing that all admission decisions follow a transparent ranking system.
JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, issued this warning in response to recent cases where parents accused universities of unfairly denying their children admission. He urged parents to properly understand the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), which ensures merit-based selection while considering institutional policies and available slots.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin clarified that securing admission into Nigerian universities goes beyond scoring high in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Several key factors that influence admission decisions:
– Merit-based ranking – Candidates with the highest aggregate scores (UTME, post-UTME, and O’Level) are given priority.
– Catchment area policy – Some universities allocate a percentage of admission slots to students from their surrounding states.
– Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS) policy – Candidates from certain states benefit from slightly lower cut-off marks to promote educational balance.
– Course and departmental quotas– Institutions have a fixed number of students they can admit per department, based on accreditation standards.
He stressed that admission is highly competitive, and meeting a minimum score does not guarantee admission if there are more qualified candidates.
JAMB addressed multiple cases where parents made unfounded claims, only to later realize their misunderstanding of the admission process.
One such case involved Mr. Godwin Nsan, who publicly accused the University of Calabar of unfairly denying his son admission. However, after JAMB’s review, it was revealed that his son, who scored 201 in UTME with an aggregate of 34%, did not meet the university’s cut-off marks of:
– 55% for Merit admissions
– 35% for Catchment Area
– 35% for ELDS
Similarly, a senior public figure alleged that Modibbo Adama University, Yola, had discriminated against certain candidates. JAMB’s investigation, however, confirmed that the university followed standard ranking procedures, proving the claims to be unfounded.
Another case involved a candidate who scored 345 in UTME but was not admitted into the University of Jos. Upon verification, JAMB discovered that the candidate ranked 86th in the admission list, whereas the university could only admit 68 students on merit. The parent later acknowledged the mistake and apologized after reviewing the admission ranking system at JAMB’s headquarters.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin also raised concerns over the increasing misuse of the “Exceptionally Brilliant Window”, a policy designed for candidates under 16 years old who demonstrate exceptional academic ability. “Shockingly, an unusually high number of candidates have applied under this category, which is virtually unheard of globally. Parents must understand that true brilliance is rare, and pushing children prematurely into higher education may not be beneficial,” he stated.
JAMB warned that this policy is not meant to be a loophole for early university entry, as emotional and intellectual maturity are essential for tertiary education.
To prevent further misinformation, JAMB urged parents to use its Ticketing Platform for official inquiries rather than making public accusations without proper verification. The board reaffirmed its commitment to fairness and transparency, revealing that a senior university official is currently facing prosecution for admission fraud, while four others are under investigation.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin stressed that JAMB remains dedicated to ensuring that no candidate is unfairly denied admission but advised parents to understand that UTME is a ranking exam, not an automatic qualification for admission.
JAMB reminded parents and candidates that university admission is not an entitlement but a highly competitive process. With thousands of applicants vying for limited spaces, not every qualified candidate can be admitted.
“We urge parents to refrain from making hasty conclusions without considering the broader competition. JAMB will continue to uphold transparency and investigate genuine complaints,” Dr. Fabian Benjamin concluded.
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